Inversion Tables

Inversion tables are one of the hottest products on the market today, and for good reason. Finally there is a product on the market that will far outway the initial cost of the item, truely benefit the user in gaining better health...and in many cases correct spinal problems without going under the knife.

An inversion table is a device that offers traction for your entire body by hanging you upside down. Many other benefits include the reversal of effects that gravity has on our bodies, increased blood circulation, reduction in muscles spasms etc... Doctors, physical therapists and sports trainers recognize inversion as a safe and effective form of therapy for the spine and weight-bearing joints.

Believe it or not, inversion therapy has been around for thousands of years. In early 400 BC, Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, strung up a patient on a ladder with ropes and pulleys and allowed gravity to do its work.

So, why not just go outside and hang on a treebranch?

• An inversion table is precisely balanced, which makes returning to the upright position effortless.
• Inversion therapy, as any new exercise program, should be gradually increased. In this case, you wouldn't want to begin by hanging in the fully inverted position right away. A good inversion table will have preset angles as well as a safety tether strap to assist you in this progress.
• An inversion table secures you at the ankles. This allows for traction of your entire body. Therefore you receive the benefits throughout your entire body.

Common attributers to back pain, such as poor posture, weak back and stomach muscles, and muscles spasms can be directly connected with the downward pull of gravity. As we become more mechanized and computerized, we also become less exercised. When sitting, our stomach and hip muscles are inactive. Lack of exercise obviously causes stomach and hip muscles become weaker, which causes strain on the back. Sitting actually places a 150 - 250% higher load inside the lumbar disc than standing. Ouch!

Inversion therapy requires gravity to work for you. By placing our bodies in line with the downward force of gravity, inversion naturally elongates the spine by increasing the space between the vertebrae. This action will relieve pressure on our discs, ligaments and nerve roots.

As we all know, stress and tension cause muscle spasms in the back, neck and shoulders. This is achieved by limiting oxygen supply, blood, and lymph flow - which in turn encourages waste chemicals to accumulate in our muscles. This also contruibutes to headaches and various other health problems.

By inverting as little as 25°, tense muscles begin to relax and the flow of lymphatic fluid is increased. As stated above: when inverted, your body is in line with gravity. When in this positon, your spine will naturally gravitate to it's intended form. A steady inversion program could help you maintain proper posture.

Our hearts constantly work against gravity to pump blood up to our brain. While the brain accounts for only three percent of our body's total weight, it requires 25 percent of the body's oxygen intake - more than any other organ. Inversion increases our oxygen supply, and improves circulation which gives our heart a break.

I have only begun to touch the surface of the benefits of Inversion Therapy. To learn more, please read Better Back, Better Body: The benefits of inversion therapy.

Ok, so how do I choose the right inversion table? There are so many, and such a huge price range!!! This question is really simple. Teeter Hang Ups is the way to go. Teeter has been making inversion products for clsoe to 40 years now. They have the highest safety rating, the smoothest rotation when inverting, and is the only company backed by doctors related to this field (i.e. Chiropractors, Sports Therapists, Physical Therapists...). Teeter only makes products that will improve your back health - in my opinion, they are experts.

I personally own an F5000, and love it. The F9000 features a longer handle mechanisim that secures you into the table. This is a great benefit for those with severe pain, or symptoms that limit bending. For those who may have experienced a loss of limb, I would suggest an electric powered table. These tables use electricity to invert the bed rather then relying on balance of body and arm movements. I would suggest a power table for commercial settings as well.